Some Scars
by LightofTheFallen
Summary: No one knows where or when Kai got his scar. This is a one-shot that explores one possibility. When playing a game, Kai remembers one of the scariest moments in his life: An event that left him scarred.


**Author's Note:**

This takes place wherever you want in the time line. It doesn't really change the story.

I wanted to write a little head-cannon about why Kai has a scar. I know that even the writers don't know why he has a scar and in the movie-verse it changes sides. (?). Enjoy.

—

"Okay! Okay! It's my turn," said Cole after resuming his spot on the floor.

It was the evening after a lazy day and the ninja decided to play truth or dare. They were in various spots around the boys' shared room. Nya took a spot on one of the beds with Cole and Jay on the floor flanking her. Zane sat on Jays other side with Kai and Lloyd finishing their circle.

"Um..." Cole scanned each of his friends before settling on Kai. "Truth or dare?"

Kai, already been forced to do three embarrassing dares earlier, decided to take the easy route. "Truth," he said smirking.

There were groans from almost everyone else. Zane just sat with his legs crossed unfazed by the turn of events.

"Awww! C'mon, man! That's no fun!" Whined jay while falling across the floor with a pout.

"You c'mon! I deserve a break for at least one round," reasoned Kai.

Before Jay could retort, Cole broke in and said, "Okay, fine." He took about half a minute to think of a good truth before he was interrupted by Jay.

"Ugh! Truths are no fun! Just ask him what his favorite color is and move on!" He whined from his prostrate position on the floor.

"Hey! I was gifted this rare opportunity to learn something interesting from Mr. Hot-Head. I'm going to take it," replied Cole.

"If you do not come up with a question soon, I suspect this game will end sooner than we wish," Zane said. Jay made a grunt of agreement as he finally sat up.

"Fine!" Cole said. "How did you get your scar?"

"Really that's it?" questioned Lloyd. "You could have asked him anything."

Before he could justify his thinking, Cole was interrupted by Nya saying, "actually, now that I think about it, I don't know where or when he got his scare either."

"See! I'm allowed to ask!" Cole exclaimed.

All eyes turned to Kai as they gave him their full attention.

 **Flashback:**

"Stay close to me, Kai. I don't want you to wonder off and get lost," warned Maya, his mother. "It's dangerous in ninjago."

Maya would have left her son at home, but he was too young. There weren't many people in Ignacia that she would trust with her most priced possession. Her husband, Ray, was off who-knows-where with Wu. To make matters worse, she was beginning to suspect that she was pregnant.

Maya was naturally weary about big cities, which is why she and Ray settled down in a small village. Clutching Kai's hand, she wove her way through the streets in search of a rare herb. Ray would have gotten it if he weren't adventuring. The herb was supposed to be beneficial to her baby as she progressed through her pregnancy. Maya wasn't taking any chances with her unborn child.

"Mommy, look!" Kia broke free of his mothers grip and ran to a nearby shop window. "Kai I'm in a hurry," Maya told her son. She tried to continue on and reached her hand out behind her, expecting Kai to latch back on. Maya froze when Kai didn't grab her hand. She spun around praying her son was right behind her.

She was wrong. "Kai? Kai!" She shouted. Maya kept screaming her son's name and went back the way they came. "Kai!" People moved out of her way, not stopping to help, just ignoring her shrill cries.

—

"Have you every seen so many action figures in one place!" He turned his head to look back at his mother only to realize she wasn't there. "Mommy?"

Kai began to walk back into the crowd when a hand covered his mouth and and arm pulled him backwards into a nearby ally.

The light diminished and the atmosphere turned cold. The noise of the crowd became a background murmur. Kai was scared. He didn't know many people and wanted to go back to his mom.

"Awww, look at you," a man's voice sounded hot and wet against his ear. The assailant pressed Kai against the wall, midway down into the ally, far away enough to prevent any unwanted interruptions from the crowd passing by.

Kai looked into beady, unforgiving, hungry eyes.

Despite his fear, Kai tried to fight back. He bit into the hand over his mouth and tried to kick his feet. The assailant hissed, but did not relinquish his hold. "I love a feisty one," he groaned. Kai felt his heart drop. He did not know what this man wanted to do, but he knew that it was bad.

"Kai!"

Both heads whipped towards the entrance to the alleyway. Kai made a muffled answer and renewed his wiggling.

The assailant grabbed a piece of a broken mirror that made a shattered carpet of the concrete. Not caring that his hand was bleeding, the assailant gripped the shard and placed it against Kai's forehead.

"Come any closer and I take an eye out!" He threatened.

Maya was not one to back down, especially if her baby was in trouble. She rushed him. At the same time the assailant slashed downward. The crude weapon sliced from his forehead to the bottom edge of Kai's chin.

Pain flared across his face. Being so young and with an active imagination, Kai believed that his face had been split in two.

Maya grabbed Kai with one arm and placed her hand on the monster who hurt her child. He was not expecting Maya to grab his face, so he was thrown off-guard. In the few seconds it took the assailant to register what was happening, water began to fill his mouth down into his lungs.

Maya made sure Kai's head was over her shoulder, so he was staring at the alley entrance. She held Kai tightly to her with her free hand as she drowned the man with the other.

Kai felt safe in his mother's embrace. He tried to ignore the sound of water rushing behind him and the droplets that landed on his jacket. He breathed in his mother's scent as he watched the people go on with their lives.

—

Maya ended up having Ray get the herb a few few weeks later when he returned.

—

As Kai grew, his scar became smaller, but the memory still lingered.

 **End of Flashback:**

Kai knew exactly how he got his scar. It was the most terrifying day of his life. At that point, at least.

"I dunno," Kai answered. "It's been there as far back as I can remember." He shrugged, "maybe I got ahold of a sword when I was a baby."

Groans once again permeated throughout the room.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Jay exclaimed. "We wasted a whole turn on a question he doesn't even know the answer to?!"

Jay proceeded to fall back across the floor.

"Well that was a bust," complained Cole.

"You should've just asked about his favorite color," Lloyd remarked.

Kai glanced over at Nya and Zane. He felt their stares on him. Having lived with Kai her entire life, Nya knew when her brother was lying. Whereas Zane could tell whenever anyone was lying. Both were curious to know why he wasn't being forthcoming with them, but dropped the subject, for now.

"Alright my turn," Kai said, pushing those memories to the back of his mind until another nightmare came to remind him.

The game continued on, laughter rang across the room, and Kai chose dare for the rest of the night.

 **Authors Note:**

And there you have it.


End file.
